A few pages on a website (Tornadoes)
may be enough for a general view of what tornadoes are, how
they form, and what they're capable of. But it is impossible
to do justice to the power and fury of a tornado in such a
limited amount of space.
Fortunately there are several other resources which will go
a long way towards expanding your knowledge and appreciation
of tornadoes - most notably DVDs, Videos and Books, together
with a small selection of photos, prints and posters.
The material listed and described below is factual resource material
for anyone interested in tornadoes. There are also many movies and
books which are worth considering, although they may be prone to
just a little exaggeration.
DVDs And Videos
Before buying any video or DVD, please make sure that it is in
a suitable format for your country, and has been released there.
All titles referred to here are available in the USA and Canada.
Check the availability of any titles you are interested in
at outlets in your own part of the world.
There is a good range of DVDs and videos covering many aspects of
tornadoes, from general information to specific storms. Tornadoes
also form part of the material in more general weather and extreme
weather sets.
Material from A&E and the History Channel is the most varied,
and this applies to most weather topics. Older material may
only be available on video, while later productions are on
DVD or both. It is unlikely that you will find this material
elsewhere.
Among the DVDs and Videos are
Nature's Fury DVD Set
Wind. Fire. Earth. Water. We know them as the four elements
- but they're also some of the most destructive forces on
earth. They can erase entire cities, permanently alter
landscapes and change lives forever. See what happens when
NATURE'S FURY is unleashed!
Super Out Break Tornadoes DVD
Dramatic footage and survivor interviews tell the story of one
of the most unusual, devastating natural disasters in modern
American history. Also available on VHS
Tornadoes: Nature's Deadly Spirals DVD
From the onslaught of killer twisters in 1936 to the
most devastating modern storms, this is a comprehensive
look at tornadoes in America.
Tornado Alley DVD
Get swept into the vortex of the most powerful storms on
earth and see amazing footage of terrifying twisters.
1999: The Weather Year from Hell VHS
Was the wild weather that swept the planet in the final year
of the century a harbinger of what is to come? VHS only
Tornadoes VHS
Examine the latest advances in the effort to predict the most
violent and damaging of all storms. VHS only
Unless stated otherwise, the above titles are only available on
DVD
Discovery Channel Store
A couple of DVDs can be found here. An interesting one is
Planet Storm DVD
, which investigates the question of how storms observed on
other planets would appear if let loose on earth. Scary stuff,
which also provides good insights into how weather works.
Amazon
You can find quite a number of Tornado DVDs and Videos at Amazon, including several I have not seen elsewhere. Things change
quickly there and it is always worth a look.
However DVDs and Videos are not really Amazon's strong point, and
for the more common titles, including those from Nova, Imax and
National Geographic it will often be worth checking at DVD Empire
- see the list below.
Amazon is often very handy for VHS versions of titles which others
only carry as DVDs, generally at a considerable cost saving.
DVD Empire
DVD Empire also has a good range of tornado DVDs.
The ones listed here are at the best price I've seen, but
things change rapidly in the DVD scene. They carry a good
range of National Geographic products.
Twisters, 1996, 95 minutes, DVD.
Despite it's age, it captures the excitement of tornado chases
when the unexpected was all too common. The price is very attractive.
Nova: Hunt for the Super Twister, 2004, 60 minutes, DVD.
On site with the meteorologists rather than the tornado chasers,
but there is no shortage of excitement.
Nova: Weather Gone Wild DVD Set, 1989, 180 minutes, DVD.
This three-disc Nova series takes you into the heart of
weather's wildest storms -featuring tornadoes, hurricanes
and lightning. This is also available as part of the 3 DVD set,
The Weather - BBC, 2003, 230 minutes, DVD, 2 discs.
Four part series covering tornadoes in the section on wind.
Other parts of this excellent series cover the extremes in
heat, cold and rain.
When it comes to books it's hard to beat Amazon. There's
heaps of books and articles on tornadoes, for all ages, but I
think I've picked the best of them and included them in my list
of The Top Ten Tornado Books
You'll find a good variety of tornado related books here, including several
written for children.
Prints, Photos and Posters
Weather is a great subject for artists and photographers, and
tornadoes have attracted their share. Most of the material
from the two outlets below can be obtained in a range of
sizes, at varying prices. Keep a look out for specials and
discounts as well. The posters chosen here are described as
actual photographs, many taken during tornado chases.
, including several I have not seen elsewhere. Things change
quickly there and it is always worth a look.
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